New preferences dialog

kovidgoyal · 09-06-2010, 12:06 PM

Hi all,

I just finished implementing a new preferences dialog (screenshots attached) and I'd appreciate a little feedback on the new design.

For those of you that run calibre from source, the changes are committed, you can try it out for yourself.

Some of the nice new features are:

1) You can restore settings to calibre defaults
2) More context sensitive help (tooltips)
3) A nice modular design based on plugins for easy expansion in the future.
4) A more discoverable layout

theducks · 09-06-2010, 12:12 PM

Is there a reason that you broke Import/Export and Sharing into 2 separate sections?

It's still cool as is

danwdoo · 09-06-2010, 12:30 PM

Look very clean and easy to see everything. I like how everythting is laid out in logical groupings. Nice work. I like it a lot!

itimpi · 09-06-2010, 12:32 PM

I think it makes the top level clearer

If you are redoing this part of the GUI should the opportunity be taken to change "Save to Disk" to be renamed to "Export to Disk"?

Starson17 · 09-06-2010, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itimpi

I think it makes the top level clearer

If you are redoing this part of the GUI should the opportunity be taken to change "Save to Disk" to be renamed to "Export to Disk"?

I really like the way Kovid is unafraid to work on the interface. I like the new Prefs interface much better than the previous one.

I concur in changing "Save to Disk" to "Export to Disk" or "Export to Disk from Library" (although it's a pain to fix the docs). Of course, that begs the question of whether "Import Books to Library" should replace "Add Books"

I'd also like to see the warning that comes up for book deletion (and Merge) to warn that the books will be "permanently deleted and the files removed from the Calibre Library" instead of "permanently deleted and the files removed from your computer"

The current wording scares the beginner who is testing out Calibre.

kovidgoyal · 09-06-2010, 01:09 PM

@the ducks: Previously Sharing was two separate categories Email and Content server and Import/Export was a third category name Add/Save

Add Books is pretty clear, I don't think it needs to change. Save to disk could probably be renamed, but changing all references to it is going to be a major pain.

I've changed the delete confirmation message.

phenomshel · 09-06-2010, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starson17

I really like the way Kovid is unafraid to work on the interface. I like the new Prefs interface much better than the previous one.

I concur in changing "Save to Disk" to "Export to Disk" or "Export to Disk from Library" (although it's a pain to fix the docs). Of course, that begs the question of whether "Import Books to Library" should replace "Add Books"

I'd also like to see the warning that comes up for book deletion (and Merge) to warn that the books will be "permanently deleted and the files removed from the Calibre Library" instead of "permanently deleted and the files removed from your computer"

The current wording scares the beginner who is testing out Calibre.

Starson, very true on this last sentence! It took me forever to figure out that it wasn't going to remove every instance of that file from my computer!

Kovid, I like it, I like it a lot!

Lady Fitzgerald · 09-06-2010, 04:37 PM

I agree that "Add Book" is adequate. It also takes up less screen real estate than "Import Books to Library." I also agree that "permanently deleted and the files removed from the Calibre Library" would be a lot less scary to beginners. I know I was was spooked by it the first time I started to use it. I would rather see "Save to Disk" stay as is if it would divert Kovid too much from working on designing more goodies for us.

mikij · 09-06-2010, 04:43 PM

I like it. Very clean, easy to use.

DoctorOhh · 09-06-2010, 11:25 PM

This new setup looks great.

I find it interesting and amazing that Kovid made the change to the delete message window, concurring with Starson17, within 25 minutes of the suggestion. Yet folks still seem compelled to seemingly lobby for the change hours later.

I guess the message was a little scary and just got lodged in our psyche requiring us to say that we agreed that changing the message was a good idea even after it had been changed. Kudos to Starson17 for remembering to bring it up.

theducks · 09-06-2010, 11:45 PM

I missed it earlier: I love the "Restore Defaults" feature in the 3rd slide

I won't tell you how many times I mess with settings and wished to restore them.

Does that feature apply to All or just Selected?

kovidgoyal · 09-06-2010, 11:47 PM

Restore defaults restores the defaults in the currently selected pane.

Manichean · 09-07-2010, 05:08 AM

Looks great. What I couldn't figure out, though: Is there a way, after selecting a specific settings page, to go back to the main selection (both with or without saving settings)? It would be kind of... well, let's say cumbersome, to have to reopen the preferences dialog everytime you want go back to another page.

chaley · 09-07-2010, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manichean

Looks great. What I couldn't figure out, though: Is there a way, after selecting a specific settings page, to go back to the main selection (both with or without saving settings)? It would be kind of... well, let's say cumbersome, to have to reopen the preferences dialog everytime you want go back to another page.

The cancel button on the sub-pages take you back to the main page.

@Kovid, there is no 'cancel' or 'close' button on the main page. I know I can close it with the 'X' in the corner, but I think a button should be there. Perhaps 'Close' on the far-right of the Interface line, with a separator to its left.

GeoffC · 09-07-2010, 06:11 AM

mentioned by me in another thread, it's faster on loadup.

09-06-2010, 12:06 PM	#1
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,312 Karma: 23661992 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	New preferences dialog Hi all, I just finished implementing a new preferences dialog (screenshots attached) and I'd appreciate a little feedback on the new design. For those of you that run calibre from source, the changes are committed, you can try it out for yourself. Some of the nice new features are: 1) You can restore settings to calibre defaults 2) More context sensitive help (tooltips) 3) A nice modular design based on plugins for easy expansion in the future. 4) A more discoverable layout Attached Thumbnails

09-06-2010, 04:37 PM	#8
Lady Fitzgerald Wizard Posts: 2,013 Karma: 251649 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Tempe, AZ, USA, Earth Device: JetBook Lite (away from home) + 1 spare, 32" TV (at home)	I agree that "Add Book" is adequate. It also takes up less screen real estate than "Import Books to Library." I also agree that "permanently deleted and the files removed from the Calibre Library" would be a lot less scary to beginners. I know I was was spooked by it the first time I started to use it. I would rather see "Save to Disk" stay as is if it would divert Kovid too much from working on designing more goodies for us. Last edited by Lady Fitzgerald; 09-06-2010 at 05:01 PM.

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09-06-2010, 12:12 PM	#2
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,351 Karma: 58032210 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Is there a reason that you broke Import/Export and Sharing into 2 separate sections? It's still cool as is

09-06-2010, 12:30 PM	#3
danwdoo Groupie Posts: 168 Karma: 2584958 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Texas Device: Kindle PW2	Look very clean and easy to see everything. I like how everythting is laid out in logical groupings. Nice work. I like it a lot!

09-06-2010, 12:32 PM	#4
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,553 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	I think it makes the top level clearer If you are redoing this part of the GUI should the opportunity be taken to change "Save to Disk" to be renamed to "Export to Disk"?

09-06-2010, 01:09 PM	#6
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,312 Karma: 23661992 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	@the ducks: Previously Sharing was two separate categories Email and Content server and Import/Export was a third category name Add/Save Add Books is pretty clear, I don't think it needs to change. Save to disk could probably be renamed, but changing all references to it is going to be a major pain. I've changed the delete confirmation message.

09-06-2010, 04:43 PM	#9
mikij Connoisseur Posts: 98 Karma: 161 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Quebec, Canada Device: PRS-600	I like it. Very clean, easy to use.

09-06-2010, 11:25 PM	#10
DoctorOhh US Navy, Retired Posts: 9,865 Karma: 13806776 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: North Carolina Device: Icarus Illumina XL HD, Nexus 7	This new setup looks great. I find it interesting and amazing that Kovid made the change to the delete message window, concurring with Starson17, within 25 minutes of the suggestion. Yet folks still seem compelled to seemingly lobby for the change hours later. I guess the message was a little scary and just got lodged in our psyche requiring us to say that we agreed that changing the message was a good idea even after it had been changed. Kudos to Starson17 for remembering to bring it up.

09-06-2010, 11:45 PM	#11
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,351 Karma: 58032210 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	I missed it earlier: I love the "Restore Defaults" feature in the 3rd slide I won't tell you how many times I mess with settings and wished to restore them. Does that feature apply to All or just Selected?

09-06-2010, 11:47 PM	#12
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,312 Karma: 23661992 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Restore defaults restores the defaults in the currently selected pane.

09-07-2010, 05:08 AM	#13
Manichean Wizard Posts: 3,130 Karma: 91256 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Germany Device: Cybook Gen3	Looks great. What I couldn't figure out, though: Is there a way, after selecting a specific settings page, to go back to the main selection (both with or without saving settings)? It would be kind of... well, let's say cumbersome, to have to reopen the preferences dialog everytime you want go back to another page.

09-07-2010, 06:11 AM	#15
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,599 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	mentioned by me in another thread, it's faster on loadup.

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